Worldwide Jamaican lotto scam in Foley

FOLEY, Ala - In June of this year, Foley Police began investigating a Jamaican Lottery Scam. These scams have victimized people throughout the world. These scams target senior citizens with promises that they have won a lottery.

The winnings vary from case to case but are generally valued at $2,500,000. The victims are asked to send money by Western Union or Money Gram to a specified location. These fees are said to be money for taxes on the winnings and/or transfer fees. When victims send the money, the scammers call back with new fees that are due and request that they send more money. This process continues until the victim runs out of money.

The victims of these cases have never received the winnings but continue to be promised the winnings if they continue to send the money. In two of the cases investigated by the Foley Police Department, after the victims discontinued sending money, the scammers then began threatening the victims with violence. It is important to note that no victim has experienced any acts of violence from these scammers.

Cpl. Tony Nelson was assigned one of these cases in June of 2009. As he was investigating the case he had the opportunity to pose as one of the victim’s relatives and spoke with one of the Jamaicans. From that conversation, an undercover operation was initiated. Cpl. Nelson agreed to meet someone from the lottery organization but refused to send any more monies by wire transfer.

A meeting was set in Port St. Lucie, Florida with a man claiming to be a representative of the lottery organization. On July 22, 2009 Investigators with the Port St. Lucie Sheriff’s Department, met the man, Stanley Walker, at a hotel. There, Walker was arrested for one count of Theft of Property 2nd and one count of Theft of Property 1st on warrants from the Foley Police Department.

These charges arise from two previous money transfers that Walker had received from the victim. Walker fought extradition from the State of Florida and a governor’s warrant was obtained. Walker was transported to the Baldwin County Corrections Center from Ft. Pierce, Florida on October 25, 2009 where he remains on a $350,000 bond.

Cpl. Nelson is working with The United States Secret Service and The Jamaican Operations Linked Telemarketing Task Force (JOLT) to further the investigation and possibly stop future scams.